Am I detecting a bit of condescension in your reply? In any unsubsidized insurance market... if one has a preexisting condition with “a lot of high-cost maintenance” either it is not going to be covered or your premium is necessarily going to be expensive. Why in the world would one expect anything different? Outside of Obamacare insurance companies were never intended to be charitable organizations.p>
Ironically Healthcare Ministries actually are "charitable organizations" where members share each other's medical expenses. it is my understanding from the literature we have received that the plan we have covers all of ones expenses for a "chronic condition" after the $500 annual deductible has been met. And, no we are not paying any type of "expensive premium rider". If my wife or I was to come down with some sort of “chronic condition” I believe that we are well covered. I will quote from an example given for the plan that we have, which is CHM’s Gold Plan with Brother's Keeper:
“Gold program
$150 per unit, per month
The Gold program provides members with the ministry’s most extensive financial support.
At the Gold level, you have a $500 personal responsibility per unit, per year. Total bills incurred per medical incident must exceed $500. Obtaining discounts on your bills may reduce or eliminate your $500 personal responsibility amount. You can receive assistance up to $125,000 per illness.
Example: You receive treatment early in the year for a gallbladder problem. Your bills total $7,500. CHM shares the total amount less your personal responsibility ($7,000). In the middle of the same year you have some blood tests done (for an unrelated illness) that cost $400. CHM does not share these bills because the total cost of the incident is less than $500. At the end of the year, you break your arm and the treatment amounts to $2,500. CHM shares the entire amount of $2,500 because you have already paid your $500 personal responsibility in the beginning of the year.
Gold plus Brother’s Keeper
If you join at the Gold level and also join Brother’s Keeper, you will have unlimited financial assistance available to you for all eligible medical bills (after your personal responsibility is met).”
Pre-existing conditions have been covered in my state for quite a number of years (exclusive of a nine-month waiting period). The system was working and insurance companies such as Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Group Health and others were not complaining that they were being forced to act as charitable organizations. Premiums were a little higher than other states where PE was not covered but only modestly (like $100-$200 more for a mid-range policy).
Thanks for all the info and your plan seems to be more accommodating than another I read about.